Field of Invention
The present invention relates to sports activity apparatus, and more particularly to a racket, such as waterproof racket or bouncing pad, which comprises a trampoline layer retained along a centerline of a racket frame for establishing optimal handling characteristics.
Description of Related Arts
In the prior art, sports activity implements, such as flying discs or racket apparatus, are known. A common feature of the flying disc and the racket apparatus is that an elastic layer is retained within an annular frame. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,241,153 relates to a sports activity device which comprises an outer annular ring member, an inner annular ring assembly detachably engaged to the outer annular ring member, wherein a flexible material that stretches across an annular area within the inner ring assembly. However, such sports activity device has several drawbacks.
Accordingly, the inner ring assembly comprises an annular ring member defining the annular area therewithin to retain the flexible material within the annular ring member. The outer annular ring member has an inner circular cavity to receive the annular ring member.
Since the inner annular ring assembly is detachably engaged to the outer annular ring member by receiving the annular ring member within the inner circular cavity of the outer annular ring member, the inner annular ring assembly may accidentally detach from the outer annular ring member, especially when the engagement therebetween is not securely mounted. For example, when throwing the sports activity device as the flying disc, the centrifugal force may drive the inner annular ring assembly to detach from the outer annular ring member. Especially when the centrifugal force is exerted at the annular ring member, the centrifugal force will force the annular ring member to be moved within the inner circular cavity. When using the sports activity device as the racket apparatus, the reaction force at the flexible material may also drive the inner annular ring assembly to detach from the outer annular ring member.
Accordingly, the flexible material is mounted by the inner annular ring member of the inner annular ring assembly. In particular, the peripheral edge of the flexible material is affixed to an inner surface of the inner annular ring member via the inner circular cavity. As a result, the tension of the flexible material is preset by the size of the inner annular member. In other words, the tension of the flexible material cannot be adjusted. Furthermore, when any portion of the inner annular ring member is damaged or broken, the flexible material cannot be mounted in a tension manner. Since the inner annular ring member is made of rigid material, it is difficult to securely mount the flexible material to the inner annular ring member. Therefore, the manufacturing process will be complicated to securely mount the flexible material to the inner annular ring member.
The inner circular cavity is formed at the inner side of the outer annular ring member to detachably receive the inner annular ring member. In particular, the inner circular cavity is formed at an upper side of the outer annular ring member, such that when the inner annular ring member is mounted at the inner circular cavity, the flexible material is aligned with the upper side of the outer annular ring member. In other words, an outer diameter of the inner annular ring member is larger than an inner diameter of the outer annular ring member. This off-centerline engagement between the outer and inner annular ring members will provide uneven tensions of the flexible material at two opposite sides of the outer annular ring member. Therefore, the user, especially a young kid, has difficulty to handle the sports activity device to play as the racket apparatus. It is worth mentioning that the inner circular cavity cannot be formed at a centerline of the outer annular ring member because the inner annular ring member cannot mounted to the inner circular cavity.
Another drawback of the sports activity device is that the outer annular ring member must be made by foam material. In order to form the inner circular cavity at the outer annular ring member, the outer annular ring member must be made of rigid material. Otherwise, the inner annular ring member cannot be securely held by the outer annular ring member. In other words, the sports activity device does not provide any cushioning effect, such that when playing the sports activity device as the flying disc or the racket apparatus, the user, especially a young kid, may accidentally hit by the outer annular ring.
In addition, the foam outer annular ring member must be rigid enough to hold the inner annular ring member in position. Otherwise, the soft foam outer annular ring member cannot retain the inner annular ring member. In addition, the service life span of the foam outer annular ring member is relatively short, wherein once the foam material will be hardened and cracked, the inner annular ring member will be detected from the outer annular ring member.